The technical sphere of the invention relates to composite wires comprising a continuous cylindrical sheath and a core consisting of an addition product.
Secondary metallurgy or refining metallurgy carried out on molten metal in a ladle often necessitates the addition of solid products to the metallic baths. The method involving a cored wire with a metallic sheath, usually of iron, which is gradually introduced into the bath is known for its great flexibility and its performance: the introduction of the addition products into and not over the molten bath minimises the losses by volatilisation and by oxidation, leading to high, constant material yields.
However, the wire core with a metallic sheath has two drawbacks: its high cost and its relatively slow dissolution in a bath of cast iron of which the temperature is lower than 1450.degree. C.
The inventors have posed themselves the problem of finding a substitute for cored wires with a steel sheath which is less expensive and does not have the disadvantages of these wires of slow dissolution in baths of molten metal.
The invention relates primarily to composite wires for the addition of solid products to metallic baths of which the core consists essentially of these addition products and the sheath of plastics material.
The invention relates secondarily to a process for producing these composite wires.